NASA Taps SpaceX’s Starlink to Deliver Artemis III Imagery from Orion
NASA has selected SpaceX to deliver laser communications capabilities for next year’s Artemis III mission, enabling the agency to provide a front row seat for viewers from the Orion spacecraft as four astronauts test rendezvous and docking capabilities between Orion and test versions of commercial human landing systems needed to return astronauts to the Moon in 2028.
To supplement Orion’s existing communications system, NASA will install two of SpaceX’s Starlink mini laser terminals – the same laser crosslink technology that SpaceX developed for its Starlink constellation – on the exterior of the spacecraft to downlink 4K imagery and video to the Mission Control Center at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Laser, or optical, communications systems use invisible infrared light to transmit more data in a single downlink than traditional radio frequency systems.
NASA previously demonstrated an optical communications system during the Artemis II mission, successfully transmitting high-definition video, flight procedures, photos, engineering and science data, and voice communications from Orion to Earth over laser signals when the spacecraft had line of sight with ground terminals.
SpaceX first demonstrated laser communications capabilities for NASA as part of a funded Space Act Agreement to develop and demonstrate commercial relay systems during the Fram2 human spaceflight mission in 2025. The Starlink mini lasers that will be added to Orion are based on the more than 25,000 lasers currently operating on-orbit to interconnect the Starlink constellation. The company has utilized the Starlink satellite network for video and telemetry on its Starship flight tests, providing real-time data across all phases of flight.
Facilitated through a partnership with the SCaN (Space Communications and Navigation) Division’s Communications Services Project, the Artemis III laser communications demonstration builds upon the agency’s existing agreement with SpaceX, advancing NASA’s broader strategy to commercialize satellite relay services for missions operating near-Earth.
